Taylor's Eye Witness Works, Sheffield

Taylor's Eye Witness Works is a historic industrial building located on Milton Street in the Devonshire Quarter of Sheffield city center. Established in 1852, it is a Grade II listed building known for its continuous production of kitchen and pocket knives, along with other related products, since its inception. Notably, it is believed to be the only traditional works in Sheffield still manufacturing its original products. The building sits adjacent to the Beehive Works, another listed cutlery works on Milton Street.

The origins of the business date back to around 1820 when John Taylor founded a knife and edge tools firm on Saint Phillip's Road in the Netherthorpe area of Sheffield. In 1838, Taylor secured the Eye Witness trademark for his products, inspired by the line "No eye hath seen such" from Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. Taylor relocated to the newly built Eye Witness Works on Milton Street in 1852. At its inception, the facility comprised five single-story bays, powered by steam and featuring a 40-foot chimney stack that remains intact today. After John Taylor died in 1854, the business was inherited by his daughter, who married into the Needham family, also known for knife production.

Architecturally, the building is constructed from red brick, with original sections made from standard-quality bricks, and later additions using a more durable, darker engineering brick. The structure is rectangular, bordered by Milton Street, Thomas Street, Headford Street, and Egerton Lane at the rear. Inside, there are three courtyards, though much of this space has been filled in with additional buildings over time. The main facade on Milton Street features 30 bays of windows and some basements and includes a distinctive arched carriage entrance with double wooden doors.

Taylor's Eye Witness Works stands as a significant historical and architectural landmark, reflecting Sheffield's industrial heritage in knife and cutlery manufacturing.